Psalms 124 - Printer Friendly

Israelites would "ascend" up the hills towards Jerusalem on Mount Zion (2 Samuel 5:7; 1 Kings 8:1). The fifteen psalms (Psalm 120—134) associated with those yearly journeys (Deuteronomy 16:16) are each called "a song of ascents." Depending on when they were composed, authorship is uncertain. Some psalms are labeled "of David" as a reference to style, not direct authorship (Psalm 86:1). If that is the case here, then many of the references may relate to Israel's exile and return (2 Chronicles 36:17–21; Ezra 2:1).

The psalmist's first priority is for Israel to recognize their dependence on the Lord. Over and over, the nation's history showed them overcoming much larger and more powerful enemies through God's power (Exodus 12:41; Deuteronomy 4:37–38; 7:7; 2 Kings 19:32–36). This was crucial for Israel's survival when faced with numerous hostile nations (2 Samuel 10:6; Numbers 21:21–24; Nehemiah 4:1–4). Without Him, they would be lost (Psalm 124:1–2).

Were the Lord not working on Israel's behalf, they would have been swept away. The psalmist compares these dangers to a flood: the ultimate symbol of overwhelming force. Without God's protection and provision, the nation would be erased completely. Instead, they survived (Psalm 124:3–5).

Since God chose to protect Israel, it is right to offer Him worship. The Lord who could have let Israel be torn apart like prey or caught like a bird in a net chose mercy. By relying on the power of the Creator, we access the greatest possible "help" to be had (Psalm 124:6–8).

Psalm 124:6–8 praises the Lord for victory over angry, vicious enemies. Earlier verses celebrated God's intervention which kept Israel from being destroyed by many enemies (Psalm 124:1–5). The psalm began by noting what would have happened to the nation without God. At the end, the psalmist indicates what happened because of the Lord's actions.

The psalmist emphasizes that enemies would have overwhelmed Israel were it not for the Lord's intervention (Deuteronomy 4:37–38). The power of hostile nations is compared to a massive flood. Yet God prevented Israel from suffering that fate. Because of this, Israel should recognize that their ultimate source of strength is their Lord, the Creator of all things.

As with a few other psalms labelled "of David" (Psalm 86:1), this may or may not have been directly written by him. The song may have been composed in David's style by a much later psalmist. Neither possibility changes the meaning of the text; Israel suffered threats from neighboring countries throughout its entire history. Psalm 124 is one of fifteen songs "of ascents" (Psalm 120—134) associated with major festivals (Deuteronomy 16:16).

The book of Psalms is composed of individual songs, hymns, or poems, each of which is a ''Psalm'' in and of itself. These works contain a wide variety of themes. Some Psalms focus on praising and worshipping God. Others cry out in anguish over the pain of life. Still other Psalms look forward to the coming of the Messiah. While some Psalms are related, each has its own historical and biblical context.